http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/geted.pl5?eo20040902db.htm

Orphans vex bureaucracy

By DOUG BANDOW

WASHINGTON -- Humanitarian crises encircle the globe. Violent resistance
afflicts Iraq. Mass death from starvation and war threatens Sudan. Millions
have died in other conflicts across Africa. No one has much time for Myanmar
(formerly Burma).

Yet if only the right government officials removed the wrong bureaucratic
barriers, 1,000 Myanmar children could be saved. Orphaned by their government's
war on its own people, they could be adopted by loving families in other
countries.

Myanmar is among the world's poorest countries. The junta called an election in
1990 and then refused to hand over power when it was won by Aung Sang Suu Kyi's
National League for Democracy. The government has put Suu Kyi under house
arrest, suppressed her party and closed the universities. Despite periodic hope
for a more moderate course, the regime always returns to repression.

At the same time, the government has pursued a brutal war against minority
ethnic groups. At least a million people have been displaced within Myanmar.
Another 200,000 live in refugee camps in surrounding nations, most importantly
Thailand. Hundreds of thousands more live and work illegally outside the camps.

The primary victims are Karen and Karenni. Many are Christians whose ancestors
were converted by Western missionaries. A tenuous ceasefire now exists, but
many of the refugees have known no life other than as casualties in a war of
extreme brutality. Ill-disciplined government forces draft civilians as porters
and routinely kill and rape villagers before destroying homes, clinic, and
churches alike -- and then sowing land mines.

Unfortunately, a refugee's life inside Thailand is fragile. Bangkok complains
of the burden, despite outside assistance, and has not signed the U.N.
convention on refugees, leaving the latter with precious few legal guarantees.
Indeed, the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has business
interests in Myanmar, desires to push the Karen and Karenni back across the
border. There, neither safety nor peace await them.

The violent conflict has yielded thousands of children. Many are orphans;
others have been abandoned or separated from parents who may be dead.

About 1,000 are under the care of Christian Freedom International (
www.christianfreedom.org ), which conducts relief operations along the border,
provides medical aid inside war-torn Myanmar, and runs schools and orphanages
in the Thai camps. CFI is pushing to make these children eligible for adoption.

However, they are not recognized as Myanmar citizens, are not Thai nationals
and are not certified by the office of the U.N. High Commissioner of Refugees
as persons of concern. Thus, they are stuck in legal limbo -- and the camps.

CFI president Jim Jacobson has taken the children's case to UNHCR officials,
the Thai government and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. All point accusing fingers
at each other.

The Thai Ministry of the Interior claims to have no objection and blames the
UNHCR. Yet, in the past, Thailand has obstructed adoption efforts, perhaps
fearing a new influx of refugees.

That isn't likely, though. Jeremy Woodrum of the U.S. Campaign for Burma notes
that Karen and Karenni generally flee only as a last resort, despite the abuses
they routinely suffer. The adoption of a few orphans would have no impact on
the refugee flow.

However, the UNHCR says it cannot certify those of uncertain legal status; and
without U.N. sanction, the United Nations (and other nations) will not allow
adoptions. But UNHCR says it cannot move ahead without prior American
agreement. The embassy says the decision is for Washington to make. They just
"kick it back and forth," complains Woodrum.

And so the orphans languish. Says Jacobson: "Over the last nine years I've
observed some of these kids grow up into young adults."

A Virginia resident who moved to Thailand to better oversee CFI's operations,
Jacobson flew back in mid-August to seek support in the U.S. Congress. The
children's cause crosses party lines.

Rep. Frank Wolf, a Virginia Republican, is playing a leading role. Also pushing
for action are Republicans Rep. Mark Souder (Indiana), Sen. Libby Dole. (North
Carolina) and Sen. Sam Brownback (Kansas) as well as Democrats Rep. Joseph
Crowley (New York) and Sen. Jon Corzine (New Jersey).

Observes Jacobson: "We've got everyone from the right to the left. It's crazy
that we can't get something done."

Yet Bush administration officials have been strangely unhelpful. The State
Department remains mired in bureaucratic minutiae, while the White House
refuses to discuss the issue, responding to Jacobson's request for assistance
with a form letter.

Immigration issues have become more sensitive since Sept. 11, 2001. The case of
1,000 orphans in a war zone should be a no-brainer, however.

America and like-minded states cannot right every wrong in the world. But they
can aid some people now at risk overseas -- including a few desperate children
languishing in Thai refugee camps.



-------------------------
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friend will
be sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"
-----Unknown

Now here's a story that plays to my conflicting biases in favor of
international adoption and against adopting war orphans without seeking family,
my inherent distrust of religious organizations and my abiding love for the
current administration.

All told, my visceral response is that all involved should get off their
respective dead asses and find a resolution for the underlying situation, or
they'll find today's orphans growing up to be tomorrow's terrorists. It's
about all refugee camps appear to be good for in the long term.

I don't, however, mean to suggest that the U.S. go about spreading peace and
freedom by means of force. We've done more than enough of that for my
lifetime, thanks.

J.

Bumper sticker for those considering voting for Nader: It's better to hold
your nose than to take it up the ***.

Subject: Orphans vex bureaucracyPath: lobby!ngtf-m01.news.aol.com!audrey-m2.news.aol.com!not-for-mailLines: 105X-Admin: news@aol.comFrom: lilmtncbn@aol.com (LilMtnCbn)Newsgroups: alt.adoptionDate: 02 Sep 2004 17:37:50 GMTOrganization: AOL http://www.aol.comMessage-ID: <20040902133750.24934.00000157@mb-m28.aol.com>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/geted.pl5?eo20040902db.htmOrphans vex bureaucracyBy DOUG BANDOWWASHINGTON -- Humanitarian crises encircle the globe. Violent resistanceafflicts Iraq. Mass death from starvation and war threatens Sudan. Millionshave died in other conflicts across Africa. No one has much time for Myanmar(formerly Burma).Yet if only the right government officials removed the wrong bureaucraticbarriers, 1,000 Myanmar children could be saved. Orphaned by theirgovernment'swar on its own people, they could be adopted by loving families in othercountries.Myanmar is among the world's poorest countries. The junta called an electionin1990 and then refused to hand over power when it was won by Aung Sang SuuKyi'sNational League for Democracy. The government has put Suu Kyi under housearrest, suppressed her party and closed the universities. Despite periodichopefor a more moderate course, the regime always returns to repression.At the same time, the government has pursued a brutal war against minorityethnic groups. At least a million people have been displaced within Myanmar.Another 200,000 live in refugee camps in surrounding nations, mostimportantlyThailand. Hundreds of thousands more live and work illegally outside thecamps.The primary victims are Karen and Karenni. Many are Christians whoseancestorswere converted by Western missionaries. A tenuous ceasefire now exists, butmany of the refugees have known no life other than as casualties in a war ofextreme brutality. Ill-disciplined government forces draft civilians asportersand routinely kill and rape villagers before destroying homes, clinic, andchurches alike -- and then sowing land mines.Unfortunately, a refugee's life inside Thailand is fragile. Bangkok complainsof the burden, despite outside assistance, and has not signed the U.N.convention on refugees, leaving the latter with precious few legalguarantees.Indeed, the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has businessinterests in Myanmar, desires to push the Karen and Karenni back across theborder. There, neither safety nor peace await them.The violent conflict has yielded thousands of children. Many are orphans;others have been abandoned or separated from parents who may be dead.About 1,000 are under the care of Christian Freedom International (www.christianfreedom.org ), which conducts relief operations along theborder,provides medical aid inside war-torn Myanmar, and runs schools and orphanagesin the Thai camps. CFI is pushing to make these children eligible foradoption.However, they are not recognized as Myanmar citizens, are not Thai nationalsand are not certified by the office of the U.N. High Commissioner of Refugeesas persons of concern. Thus, they are stuck in legal limbo -- and the camps.CFI president Jim Jacobson has taken the children's case to UNHCR officials,the Thai government and the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. All point accusingfingersat each other.The Thai Ministry of the Interior claims to have no objection and blames theUNHCR. Yet, in the past, Thailand has obstructed adoption efforts, perhapsfearing a new influx of refugees.That isn't likely, though. Jeremy Woodrum of the U.S. Campaign for Burmanotesthat Karen and Karenni generally flee only as a last resort, despite theabusesthey routinely suffer. The adoption of a few orphans would have no impact onthe refugee flow.However, the UNHCR says it cannot certify those of uncertain legal status;andwithout U.N. sanction, the United Nations (and other nations) will not allowadoptions. But UNHCR says it cannot move ahead without prior Americanagreement. The embassy says the decision is for Washington to make. They just"kick it back and forth," complains Woodrum.And so the orphans languish. Says Jacobson: "Over the last nine years I'veobserved some of these kids grow up into young adults."A Virginia resident who moved to Thailand to better oversee CFI's operations,Jacobson flew back in mid-August to seek support in the U.S. Congress. Thechildren's cause crosses party lines.Rep. Frank Wolf, a Virginia Republican, is playing a leading role. Alsopushingfor action are Republicans Rep. Mark Souder (Indiana), Sen. Libby Dole.(NorthCarolina) and Sen. Sam Brownback (Kansas) as well as Democrats Rep. JosephCrowley (New York) and Sen. Jon Corzine (New Jersey).Observes Jacobson: "We've got everyone from the right to the left. It's crazythat we can't get something done."Yet Bush administration officials have been strangely unhelpful. The StateDepartment remains mired in bureaucratic minutiae, while the White Houserefuses to discuss the issue, responding to Jacobson's request for assistancewith a form letter.Immigration issues have become more sensitive since Sept. 11, 2001. The caseof1,000 orphans in a war zone should be a no-brainer, however.America and like-minded states cannot right every wrong in the world. Buttheycan aid some people now at risk overseas -- including a few desperatechildrenlanguishing in Thai refugee camps.-------------------------A good friend will come and bail you out of jail . . . but, a true friendwillbe sitting next to you saying, "Damn . . . that was fun!"-----Unknown





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